Get ready to learn more about the book The Homecoming in this discussion with sapphic author Sabrina Blaum.
Join us for an exclusive peek behind the scenes as we quiz Sabrina Blaum about The Homecoming, writing, reading, and more.
This book is part of the Dual Timeline category in the 2024 IHS Reading Challenge.
Why did you write The Homecoming?
I added Tempe’s love story (unexplored) into The Chase (she is Bree’s, one of the leads, oldest daughter) because I thought it would annoy Bree’s husband a lot. So, once more, a throwaway line/background I added with no intentions, at first, of doing anything with it.
I’ve been wanting to write a poly story forever, and I had the idea with a dual timeline and accident set-up for that. I wanted to explore such a relationship, that yes, includes sex and physical attraction (quite a bit, tbh), but I really wanted to show their emotional connection. A lot of poly books I read seem to focus more on the physical aspect and potential jealousy drama that can come with such relationships. While there is nothing wrong with such a focus, I was curious about how people would navigate such a relationship, and how their emotional connection would be established and play out.
After realizing that I could write this poly story with Tempe and add it as the last book of Constellation, I did just that. To be honest, I was curious about “Tempe and her girls” from The Chase, so that then ended up being a situation of getting two for one.
Who is your favorite character in the book?
Oh, shoot. This question keeps on killing me. I likely have more in common with Antoinette out of the three, but my favorite character is Rania. Why? I don’t know. She is very strong and calm, like the tether in this trio. I find her truly fascinating and she was engaging to write.
What was the biggest challenge writing this book?
The dual timeline was a hard one. I ended up putting all scenes in the correct order (time wise) to do one read through like that to make sure I didn’t mess up any continuity issue. It was really hard to write a dual timeline story, and I’m not sold on doing it again. It was also harder to write sex scenes that involve three people, lol. Definitely another thing I am not keen on repeating.
What part of The Homecoming was the most fun to write?
Their banter and general interactions was a lot of fun. They are all quite different and bring diverging strength and weaknesses to the table. They also interact differently. So, their styles and humor was really fun to bring to life. But in the end, I really enjoyed writing their emotional moments. I thought their connection was so strong and beautiful to behold.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
As the last book of Constellation, I liked the idea The Homecoming, so it fit for that, but it also fits for the book itself as the three are coming home in finding each other and in establishing their relationship, and then in weathering all the storms life throws at them. It was important to me to show a journey for all of them, and that this journey leads to a sense of home in the end.
Where do you usually write, and what do you need in your writing space to help you stay focused?
I’ve noticed that I need some noise around me. Not really something super loud and distracting, but I need some signs of life around me to write better. I recall my family going on a short trip while I remained home to write. I thought I’d get a lot done because I’d have all the calmness and silence at my side. That’s not how it played out. It was eerie writing in total silence, and I didn’t get as much done as I’d expected.
What are three words that describe your personality?
I want to say I am kind. I find kindness to be one of the most important characteristics in a person because it means you will be willing to help other beings, and well, we all need help at times. Many people struggle with asking for help, and I believe it makes life easier if you are willing to be there and help. When I was teaching composition, I always read my students the poem Desiderata by Max Ehrman, which perfectly describes my wishes for their future. At the end, I’d always tell them, “Be kind to others, and be kind to yourself. I doubt anyone has ever lain on their deathbed and thought, ‘Gosh, I wish I was less kind in life.'” As I place so much value in kindness, I try to be kind myself.
I am also really impatient. I’ve been working on that, and I think I’ve gotten a lot better with it, but yeah. It’s a struggle. There’s a scene in the show Buffy where Anya says: “I was being patient, but it took too long.” And I’ve never felt more seen with that than when I heard that for the first time. My dad would always point out that I need to be more patient (especially when I was a teen and my patience was non-existent). Marrying a Haitian woman has definitely helped in being patient because we are on different time schedules. She is incredible easy-going and takes her time with things. Whenever she says something is only going to take “5 minutes,” I always ask “5 Haitian minutes or 5 German minutes” because believe me, there IS a difference.
I want to say I am also really loyal and steadfast, especially when it comes to relationships. It is really hard to lose me as a friend once you’ve managed to establish a connection with me. I am quite forgiving, which I think helps with being steadfast because I usually can understand where someone is coming from, and so it’s easier to forgive and remain the bonds you’ve established. Once I am your friend, I stand by you and support you. Unless you want to do something completely insane. I will point that out to you, too.
What do you do to get inside your character’s heads?
I think they get in mine? Like I have an idea of who they are or who they are supposed to be, and sometimes that works out, but at times, it doesn’t because that’s not who they are and they seem to tell me that by making me write them differently, thereby destroying all the plans I had for them. The biggest example of that is from my yet to be published time travel novel, Fractured Ties. There is one character who was supposed to be a blip, someone who only had a hand in causing an emotional and physical crisis for my lead, and then this character turned into one of the most important characters in the story. They might even be my favorite character in the book.
Once I have a grasp on a character, they start to talk to me in my head. That is, they are having conversations with each other, thereby revealing more of their character to me.
If you could be mentored by a famous author (living or not), who would it be?
I don’t have a name, tbh, but it would be someone with a knack for descriptions. I am not talking about endlessly describing a blue velvet couch and the living room it stands in. There is a way to ground a reader in a scene by offering some descriptions of the setting. It makes the reading more engaging, and that is likely still my greatest weakness. I am not very observant of my surroundings, and when I read, I don’t see things in my head. So for me, that’s not all that important, but even though I don’t see it, it still adds something to a story for me, too. As such, I am working on adding such details, but it’s often like pulling teeth. So, I would like to be mentored by an author who is really good at that.
What books have you read more than once in your life?
Honestly, there are more fanfics than books that I’ve read more than once. There are books, too, but I had a phase in my life, probably all of my twenties and most of my 30s, where I read more fanfic than published books. I re-read them because I was enamored with the depictions of the characters, the writing, and the way the story was told. I like books that make me smile or where I just feel warm inside, and I hate the idea of reaching the end. Such stories, I will read over again.
What book do you wish you had written?
Probably something like the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny as a sapphic retelling. The mysteries in there are smart and keep you guessing. The characters are believable and relatable. Overall, the series is engaging while also being comforting? It’s hard to explain. I’d like to see something like that where the Inspector and the first command are sapphic characters. So, that’s really tempting to write.
